


Steve Rogers is a Tactical Genius

by Swankyo0



Series: HeadCanon Accepted [3]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Humorous Headcanon Accepted, M/M, POV Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Steve Rogers can act ok?, Steve Rogers is Stubborn, Steve Rogers is a little shit, Steve is not putting up with any of your shit Tony, Steve pouts with deadly force, Steve the strategist, Tony Being Tony, Tony Has Issues, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 00:53:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10503030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swankyo0/pseuds/Swankyo0
Summary: The press is constantly theorizing that Steve Rogers is in love with Tony Stark. They aren't wrong. And Steve will do whatever it takes to get Tony to date him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I love all the fics where Tony refuses to believe that Captain America could possibly want to have a relationship with him and all Steve does about it is pout with deadly force until Tony caves. Tony feels and Steve's puppy dog eyes are def favorites of mine. 
> 
> But WHY does Steve pout at him? Steve is a scrappy little shit and has never gone into a fight with anything but his all, and he totally thinks of courting Tony as the fight of his life. So I wrote this.

Steve has seen the headlines in nearly every store he’s entered recently. Every shade he can imagine, from rancorous to practically jumping for joy. It’s gotten so bad, even the most conservative reporters are starting to wonder.

Is Captain America secretly in love with Iron Man? Some are already jumping to the conclusion that there is a secret relationship, others are analyzing how closely he stands to Tony, how he looks at Tony, did he or did he not reach for Tony’s hand in the last press conference?

He did. And that’s the thing. Tony keeps telling the press, of course there is nothing going on with Captain White Bread America and The Merchant of Death. That’s obviously ridiculous. Steve, on the other hand has been completely silent on the matter. Because he doesn’t want the press to get the wrong idea. He’s got no problem lying to the press, he never really has, some things they just don’t have the right to know. Like who he’s harboring an intense attraction to. It’s what they would do with any kind of denial that stops Steve from saying anything.

The first time Tony laughed off the idea of anything more than friendship with Steve the press had a field day. It hurt enough to see the reports of his supposed rejection, but the things that were said about the nature of any relationship they may have were so much worse. Tony actually had to give another press conference just to clarify- there is nothing wrong with being gay, at all. Steve doesn’t want to cause that kind of issue. Captain America is used enough to tout supposed American and Family Values™ Steve’s not willing to do anything that might damage an already beaten community.

So he says nothing to the press.

His decision not to deny his feelings to the press may also have to do with the fact that Steve is not completely convinced that Tony would actually reject him. And his most trusted friends- mostly just Sam and his family- seem to agree- Iron Man is definitely attracted to Captain America. More than that, Tony is attracted to Steve. Now, Steve knows that attraction is not always enough to start a relationship on, but it gives him hope. And it would just be a waste of time to deny his feelings to the press now if there is even the slimmest chance of a romantic relationship developing.

Steve thinks there might be more than a slim chance. He already spends most of his free time with Tony, and Tony spends most of his free time with Steve. Everyone on the team takes part in what Tony calls “The Re-education of Stephen Rogers”. Clint is trying to introduce Steve to every kind of food in the world- so far Thai is Steve’s favorite. Natasha likes to introduce Steve to forms of martial arts he would never have had access to in the forties- parkour has pretty much become a staple in Steve’s fighting style now. Bruce has taken it upon himself to expand Steve’s reading list- Ginsberg was a particular favorite. Thor likes to drag Steve along on any new Midgardian adventure he takes- the alligator wrestling was interesting, to say the least. Even Sam has gotten in on the trend, giving Steve a stack of new albums to listen to every week.

Tony, on the other hand, has not picked a favorite area. Instead, Tony participates in everything he can with Steve. When Clint takes Steve to an all-you-can eat place, Tony comes along and bets with Clint on how long it will take for the restaurant to cut Steve off. Every week, Tony sorts through the music Sam has suggested, playing his favorites as loud as his usual music in the workshop. When they get to the albums Tony doesn’t like, he seems to play them even louder and spend the whole time complaining about how the music is sullying his sound system. Steve never would have pegged Tony as a bookworm, but he always seems to have already read the books Bruce suggests, and revels in the conversations the three of them have once Steve has finished. Tony even shows up at the gym to train with Steve and Natasha once a week.

And, of course, there is nothing in the world that could have made Tony miss the alligator wrestling.

More than all that, Tony and Steve spend time together alone as well. They hang out in the workshop, Tony building amazing things, Steve drawing Tony. They go to baseball games together because Tony likes to see how invested in the game Steve gets. Tony seems to think it’s hilarious when Steve starts cursing the refs out. They go to movies and art museums, tech conferences and comic conventions, diner and breakfast and every meal between. Tony taught Steve how to dance in the workshop, everything from slow waltzing to downright dirty dancing- Steve has never had a more difficult test of willpower in his life. They go dancing at least once a month, everywhere from modern dance clubs to the old style dance halls where they can swing dance and that make Steve miss Bucky like one of his own ribs- sharp and deep in his chest. Steve doesn’t get long to focus on his grief, though- the way Tony’s eye light up when Steve finally asks him to dance, the line of his throat when he throws his head back and laughs, the way Steve’s entire body vibrates with affection are all too distracting. Besides, Bucky would have knocked Steve but good if he knew Steve was sitting on his feelings for Tony, and Steve knows he would be right to do so.

It’s that thought that finally tips Steve’s hand. Bucky may not be here to push Steve into action, but his voice is in Steve’s head for better or worse, and Steve has never really been able to tell him no. So Steve does what he always does- he throws himself head first into the fight.

Steve strides into the workshop with his shoulders square, his chin high, and his stomach somewhere around his knees. As usual, the music immediately lowers and Tony turns to him with a bright smile- until he catches the determined look on Steve’s face. Tony’s eyes run through a range of emotions too quickly for Steve to decipher, before settling on guarded.

“What’s up, Cap?” Tony’s voice is light but Steve can tell it’s forced.

“Tony Stark, you and I are going out,” Steve starts, his voice a bit more commanding than he had planned. “We are going to get dinner at a nice place, and I’m going to open doors for you and let you pay because you are a stubborn ass. I’m going to bring you a gift and you are going to accept it because I am a stubborn ass. And at the end of the night I am going to walk you to your door and there will be a kiss good night, because I’m gonna do this right, damn it.”

Steve takes a deep breath and lets his brain catch up with his mouth. With building horror he realizes that none of that comes out the way he wanted it to. Well, he never was good at following a plan. “I mean, if you want to, that is.”

Tony kind of gapes at him like a particularly large fish. Steve finds it adorable.

“What the hell was that?” Tony’s voice is higher pitched than usual and he looks genuinely confused. Steve feels his shoulders drop, he’s already messed this whole thing up.

“That was me asking if you would do me the honor of letting me take you out.” There, that’s better.

“The honor,” Tony repeats, his voice flat. “Steve, buddy, pal, I think you’re letting the press get to you. You do not want to ‘take me out’. Trust me on this.”

Steve is so thrown by Tony’s response that he can’t do anything other than be bluntly honest. “Yes, I do.”

“No, Steve, that would be a horrible idea,” Tony shakes his head sharp enough that Steve can’t help but worry about his brain rattling around in there. His hands are wrapped white-knuckle around the screwdriver he had been using before Steve barged in. “Honestly, whatever is behind this, it’s a bad plan. I am a horrible date. I’m barely any kind of good friend!”

Steve finds himself honestly confused. He thought maybe Tony would reject him, turn him down, tell Steve that he sees him as nothing more than a good friend, or tell Steve that he doesn’t play for that team. He never once considered that Tony would turn him down like this, though.

“I mean,” Tony continues before Steve managed to get his bearings. “Seriously, worst date in the history of dates. Ask Pep. I’m always late, and distracted, and I ramble about anything that comes into my head- usually tech that no one else cares about.”

“Tony, you already do all those things.” Apparently, Steve is still in blunt honesty mode.

“Exactly! So I don’t know why you would- wait.” Tony’s expression morphs into anger, but his eyes are pouring out hurt. “Why would you want to take me out, exactly? Is this some kind of- of pity thing? Just because I haven’t started dating again since Pepper does not give you the right to pity me Rogers.”

Steve’s not exactly sure how asking Tony out ended up being a Last Name Conversation. Sometimes trying to keep up with Tony makes his head spin. He’s learned the best thing to do is let Tony talk it out until he can catch the thread of conversation again.

“Look, it doesn’t matter. If it’s pity or some warped idea of what a relationship with me would be like- either way, I’m telling you, it’s a bad idea. We’ve got a good thing going here, Cap. Anything more and I will find a way to fuck it up, that’s what I do. You do not want to date me.”

Tony finally seems to come to a stopping point. Steve is well aware that if he waits too long Tony will start talking again, just to fill the silence. So he says the first thing that comes to mind. “You did not say you did not want to.”

“What? You- what? I mean, fine, if that’s what you need to hear. I don’t want to. No.”

Tony has a lot of practice lying to people. Lying to the press, to business partners, to S.H.I.E.L.D., lying to everyone, really. He’s unflappable, stone-cold poker face, calm and cool, a showman even his father couldn’t hold a candle to. So when he stutters, Steve has all the confirmation he needs- Tony does want to date him. Tony just has too low an opinion of himself, and too high an opinion of everyone else to accept what he wants when it’s handed to him. But if there is one thing Steve has learned in the future, it’s how to push Tony Stark’s buttons. Steve feels the urge to smirk, but he’s also had his fair share of acting practice, so it’s easy enough to school his features into an expression of hurt.

“You must not have a very high opinion of me.”

“Wait, what?” This time it’s Tony who looks thrown, and Steve takes advantage of it, lowering his eyes and rubbing the back of his head with one hand. Steve’s not above playing dirty here, and he’s seen the way Tony looks at his shoulders.

“Have I really made you think I’m malicious?” Steve questions, continuing right over Tony’s objections. “’Cause I know you’ve heard me, listened to me, even agreed with me when I go on about how pity is even worse than bullying. How hurtful it is, how damaging, how it keeps people down and paralyzes them.” Steve raises his gaze to meet Tony’s eyes. He knows his eye are bright, he’s nearly crowing inside because he knows exactly what he’s doing, and that Tony will take it as close to tears. “Do you really think I would do that to you?”

“What? No! Steve, I know you wouldn’t ever do anything like that. You don’t have a malicious bone in your body!” Steve lowers his eyes again, forcing his shoulders to stoop just a little more, softly nodding like he’s resigned to his plight.

“Then you think I’m an idiot.”

“What!?” Tony sounds almost panicked now, and Steve almost feels bad, almost questions his strategy here. Stay the course, he tells himself. It sounds disturbingly like Col. Phillips this time.

“To think I would be influenced by the press like that, that I don’t know what I want. I must really seem like a blockhead. Of course you wouldn’t want someone like that. It’s ok, Tony, I get it. I’ll just- I’ll just leave you alone now.” Steve turns to the door, holding his breath. If Tony doesn’t stop him, his bluff will have been called, and Steve has no idea where to go next.

“Wait!” Steve’s heart finds its way firmly into his throat and he slowly turns back around, lifting his head and squaring his shoulders again. The perfect picture of a man facing his demise.

“Steve, Steve I swear- you are brilliant.” Tony steps forward, grasping Steve by the shoulders, giving him a little shake like he can physically force what he’s about to say into his head. “You’re the only one that can even remotely keep up with my rambling, other than Bruce. You have such talent, on and off the field, you couldn't do anything you do without intelligence. I know that. You have to know that- right?”

Steve drops his chin once more, but keeps his eyes on Tony’s. “So, you don’t think I’m not good enough?”

“God, no. Steve, anyone in the world would be so lucky to have you. You- you’re as close to perfect as a man can get. You, not Cap, just you. I swear.”

Steve let’s his face light up with some of the joy he’s been feeling. He’s got him. He keeps his voice unsure, just until he really has a solid hold on the situation. “So- so you’ll let me court you? I know we could make it work, could be happy. I’d be good to you, Tony, I promise.”

“Of course you’d be good to me,” Tony says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You couldn’t be anything but, even when you’re being an ass, you’re still good to me.”

Steve really lets his face light up- he doesn’t even have to pretend anymore. “Great! I’ll pick you up at six tonight? I’ve got a great little restaurant picked out. You’ll love it!”

“Of course I’ll love it,” Tony smirks, and Steve knows something salacious is coming next. “At least I know the view will be great.”

Steve lets the smirk he’s been hiding come out, mixing in a bit of a leer. It’s not hard when he’s looking at Tony. “Not as good as mine.”

Tony’s face lights up with humor, obviously ready for some back and forth flirting. “Well-“ Tony’s words cut of suddenly, his face dropping into shock. “Stephen Rogers! Did you just manipulate me into agreeing to go out with you?”

“Yup.” Steve pops the ‘p’, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rolling up onto the balls of his feet, his pride and happiness pouring out of him in waves. “See you at six, Tony.”

Steve walks out of the workshop with much more swagger than when he walked in, letting his shoulders accent each step. He hears Tony laughing behind him, a soft “Looking forward to it” carrying through just before the doors sweep closed. He thinks, that’ll be one hell of a story to tell the press someday.


End file.
